Waste Generation on the Decline

摘要

Those blue recycling bins are making a noticeable difference - Americans recycled over 65 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) and composted over 21 million tons in 2012. In total, the U.S. generated about 251 million tons of trash, according to the EPA in its report Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United Sates: Facts and Figures for 2012. By recycling and composting almost 87 million tons, we've achieved a 34.5% recycling rate. Commonly recycled materials include lead-acid batteries, steel and aluminum cans, wood, newspaper, cardboard, yard trimmings, tires, glass, PET and HDPE plastics, and consumer electronics. MSW does not include industrial, hazardous, or construction waste.